Movie? Dinner? Both!

The menu, Tushar informs us, will change every fortnight and will mostly be inspired by the movie. "This week we're serving Punjabi because of Dil Bole Hadippa," he explains. The idea will work, according to him, since for moviegoers in the city, the people they watch a movie with decides how much they enjoy themselves. "Urban families in a city like Mumbai live insular lives and such a theatre offers them a chance to come together and lounge about, eat a meal and watch a movie." The cozy two, four, six and eight-seaters with dinner tables are luxurious to say the very least. The couches are beige, soft and totally sinkable, while the tables have buzzer bells attached. Ring them to be served.

But doesn't it snuff out the romance of rushing out before the lights dim to pick up a packet of popcorn, or shuttling to the food counters during interval? Film critic Deepa Gahlot who quite likes the idea of the Cine Diner disagrees. "The romance was gone a long time ago," she says. These days, she says, people land up at a multiplex without any one film in mind. "And frankly, most of our films don't really need 100 per cent attention.
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It's why so many moviegoers often talk on the cell phone, walk out during a song, or simply chit-chat while the film is playing."

For film buff Abhishek Rao, assistant events manager, the idea is exciting. The 23-year-old who works in Powai and frequents Huma Big Cinemas says, "Table service while watching a movie is a lovely concept. I'll go there for sure."

He only testifies what Deepa says about the Cine Dinner being a good investment as far as drawing audiences is concerned. "These days multiplexes cancel shows because there aren't enough people. If you provide a movie and a meal, it will definitely bring in more crowd," she feels.

But how would a filmmaker feel about his audience digging into a roti-subzi while his hero-heroine engage in repertoire or someone crunching on a papad while the hero makes a smart aleck remark on screen? Kunal Kohli isn't pleased. The director of Hum Tum, Fanaa and Thoda Pyar Thoda Magic, says it is disrespectful to the film:
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"If you want to eat out, you ought to go to a restaurant. Why watch a movie?" Kohli adds that he wouldn't want to release his films nor watch movies of other filmmakers at such a hall. "Serving meals during events such as a cricket match or Wimbledon are okay because you don't need to concentrate on every ball being bowled.

But in a movie, you can't afford to miss a single line of dialogue!" The director explains that he doesn't have a problem with audiences munching popcorn or even finger food because that doesn't require too much concentration, but a dinner or lunch are different.

Preschool teacher and film buff Mayuri Gopalkrishnan, 28, echoes Kohli. "If I'm eating dinner, I'd rather concentrate on the food. If I'm watching a movie, I'd rather pay attention to what's happening on screen. And if I want to do both, I'll simply call for food and watch a movie at home where I can always rewind if I missed something," she says. All the same, the Cine Diner is a place she'd love to visit for the experience, not essentially the movie. "I wouldn't mind going there to watch a film that I'm not too keen on. Like I'd watch Dil Bole Hadippa but not Wake Up Sid there," she points out.

Freelance writer Gayatri Chandrasekaran would be happy as long as both types of cinemas co-existed. While the 30-year-old would love to enjoy a meal while watching a movie, she wouldn't want all theatres to turn into cine-diners. "I still want to catch a show last minute with just popcorn at Sterling but also visit this new multiplex for a fun evening out."

As long as the reel continues to unspool.

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